President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony to swear in the new Secretary of Homeland Security Mark Wayne Mullin in the Oval Office of the White House on March 24, 2026 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
Hello, my name is Dylan Butts from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open.
Markets are struggling to find direction as investors weigh changing signals from the Iran conflict.
There were some hints from Washington on Tuesday that the Middle East conflict could escalate. But between President Trump’s claims of talks with Iran, Tehran’s denials, and reports of a possible deployment of U.S. troops to the Middle East, investors and observers are understandably confused.
What you need to know today
President Donald Trump reiterated Tuesday that the United States and Iran are “currently negotiating,” suggesting that Iran is keen to reach a peace deal despite the Islamic Republic’s denials of direct talks with the United States.
These comments were followed by a report in the New York Times, citing two unnamed officials, suggesting that the U.S. government had sent Iran a 15-point plan to end the war.
The plan was reportedly sent through Pakistan, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently saying that Pakistan was ready to facilitate negotiations between the parties to the conflict.
However, the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that the Pentagon is preparing plans to send about 3,000 soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East.
As investors tracked these rapidly changing signals and reports, U.S. stocks retreated in trading Tuesday, regaining some of the surge seen in the previous session. However, futures prices for major indexes rose.
Oil prices rebounded on Tuesday after falling in the previous session, but fell again, last down 6%.
Meanwhile, the effects of the Middle East conflict continue to spread throughout the world. The Philippines on Tuesday became the first country to declare a “national energy emergency” as the ongoing conflict threatens its fuel supply chain.
— Dylan Butts
And finally…
According to jury rules, Mehta must pay $375 million for violating New Mexico law in the child exploitation case.
A New Mexico state court jury on Tuesday found Meta liable for $375 million in civil damages after a trial centered on allegations that the company violated state consumer protection laws and misled residents about the safety of apps like Facebook and Instagram.
The civil trial began last month with opening arguments in Santa Fe. New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torres filed charges against Meta in 2023 following a sting involving the creation of fake social media profiles for 13-year-old girls. He previously told CNBC that he was “just inundated with images and targeted solicitations” from child abusers.
— Jonathan Bunyan
